Chapter 1 - Races - Other Races
Kercpa
The Kercpa (both singular and plural) are a reclusive race inhabiting dense forests, far from civilization. Shy of most races other than elves, and exceptionally skilled at remaining undetected, they are rarely seen even when their dwellings are nearby.
Seldom exceeding 18 inches in height, kercpa appear as bipedal red squirrels, complete with bushy tails to assist in keeping their balance. Eyes are usually green or hazel, although blue is not known. They favor garb similar to that of the elves who usually reside near to, colored so as to enable them to blend in more easily into their surroundings. Hands and feet are never covered, however, as that would impede their ability to climb. Among the trees they are as nimble and acrobatic as normal squirrels, running and leaping from branch to branch and tree to tree with astonishing ease and grace. Kercpa speak their own language. In addition, many have learned one or more languages of other forest-dwelling races such as sylvan or wild elves, treants, pixies, and sprites. About one in ten will have picked up at least a smattering of the Common tongue.
Combat: Kercpa are peaceful by nature and always avoid combat when possible. However, should it become necessary, they are quite capable of defending themselves, their homes, and those of their elven allies with an efficiency that belies their diminutive size and rather harmless appearance. The squirrel-folk move with great stealth through the woodland, imposing a -5 penalty on others’ surprise rolls. Due to their keen senses, they are themselves surprised only on a roll of 1. Hiding motionlessly in any forest terrain, kercpa are 90% unlikely to be seen. They make all saving throws as 7 Hit Dice creatures, adjusted, where applicable, as if possessing a Dexterity score of 19. Although they never wear armor of any kind, their size and phenomenal agility combine to give them an excellent armor class. A kercpa, furthermore, may attempt to dodge any missile directed at it, provided that it is in a position to see the attack launched. A successful saving throw versus death magic (modified by Dexterity, as above) the kercpa successfully dodged the attack, regardless of whether the attack would normally have hit. Up to two missiles may be dodged per round by each kercpa.
If forced into melee, kercpa wield tiny swords or spears that inflict 1d3 points of damage. However, well aware of the disadvantage they suffer against most foes, they strive to avoid hand-to-hand combat. The preferred weapon of any kercpa is a bow. Although the seemingly toy-like kercpa bow has but half the range and damage causing potential of a normal short bow, an innate skill honed by intense training make them formidable weapons in the squirrel-folk’s hands nonetheless. Some kercpa routinely best their elven allies in short-range archery contests. A kercpa may fire up to three arrows per round, with each such attack at +4 to hit. a typical kercpa strategy is to take to the trees, surround the enemy, and while darting in and out of concealment, rain down a relentless barrage of stinging projectiles from all sides. It is not uncommon for a band of orcs, gnolls, or other forest marauders thus assaulted to believe themselves under attack by scores of the creatures, when in reality they are faced with only a dozen or so. Certainly the kercpa do their best to encourage this mistaken impression. Should their opponents be too numerous to drive away or destroy in this manner, the kercpa shift tactics and attempt to lead them out of their territory, goading them to the chase with taunts and jeers if the squirrel-folks’ enemies prove reluctant to pursue them. By this the kercpa hope to fragment a larger band, get them hopelessly separated and lost in the woods, and then deal with the more manageable sized groups one at a time. Some tribes, especially those dwelling in or near enemy infested lands, will attempt to lead pursuers through an area of forest that, in preparation for such a contingency, the kercpa had rigged with concealed pits, snares, deadfalls, and other traps. When such tactics fail, the kercpa send runners off through the trees to alert the elven settlements the squirrel-folk seldom live far from.
Kercpa are able to communicate over distances of up to 100 yards by utilizing a simple language of whistles and bird calls. While limited in its range of expression, this method of communication is sufficient for them to coordinate or alter tactics without the need to regroup, an invaluable advantage in combat relying on cunning, stealth, subterfuge, and deception. Throughout the kercpa territory will be stashed caches of arrows and other supplies (in hollow branches, etc.), eliminating the need to return to the village to restock. All adults are intimately familiar with the areas in which they live and, except in certain unusual instances (such as quarry empowered with flight or utilizing a pass without trace spell) can track intruders as a ranger throughout. Those kercpa with spell-casting ability (see below) employ magic in combat to complement and enhance the squirrelfolks combat tactics. Favorites include ventriloquism, taunt, wall of fog, and mirror image.
Habitat/Society: A typical kercpa tribe consists of 100-300 adult squirrel-folk, with an additional number of young equal to roughly 20% of the population. Male and female kercpa are equally skilled fighters, while the young are noncombatants. One in every 20 kercpa will be an individual with 2 Hit Dice. For every 100 in a community, there will be an additional leader with 3 or 4 Hit Dice. As the most skilled warriors in the village, these exceptional individuals (or “defenders” as they are known) are primarily responsible for its safe-keeping from malevolent outside forces. Their duties include the organizing of patrols, the maintenance the village’s defenses, and leading the tribe in attack, retreat, and, it necessary, evacuation. Kercpa defenders take this role very seriously and will not hesitate to sacrifice themselves for the tribe if the situation warrants. A defender’s THAC0 and saving throws are proportionately superior to others of their kind. A 3 HD kercpa, for example, would have a base THAC0 of 18 (14 with a bow) and make saving throws as a 9 Hit Die creature. Through trade with elves and sprites, kercpa sometimes manage to acquire a limited supply of their sleep-inducing arrows; any defender has a 25% chance to carry ld4 of them in his quiver. These precious arrows will not be wasted on opponents the squirrel-folk believe can be overcome by other means. All kercpa tribes will be led by a shaman of the 4th or 5th level of ability. For every 50 kercpa in the tribe, there will be an additional 1d2 lesser shamans of 1st through 3rd level. Shamans receive an additional 1d4 hit points for each level they possess beyond the first, and for every two levels fight as if having one additional Hit Die. They may cast spells from the following spheres: All, Animal, Creation, Divination, Healing, Plant, Sun, and Weather. In addition, kercpa shamans are skilled herbalists with the ability to concoct effect remedies to numerous ailments and afflictions. Among these is a minor variety of healing potion that restores 1d4+1 hit points to the imbiber. Any kercpa venturing outside the village is 75% likely to have such a potion in her possession.
Kercpa shamans are responsible for preserving the tribe’s health, providing advice and spiritual guidance, and presiding over ceremonies. In theory, the shamans also are responsible for governing all internal matters within the tribe, but in actuality there is little need. Kercpa seem to be by nature cooperative, working together for the common good of the forest community. Internal or inter-tribal strife among them is unknown. The role of the defenders usually falls to the male kercpa, while the females comprise the majority of the shamans. This tendency is by no means a rule, however, and exceptions either way are not uncommon. The sexes in kercpa society are in all ways equal (as well as being difficult for outsiders to tell apart). They marry for life and mates are fiercely protective of their young and of each other. Perhaps due to their close relationship with elves, some kercpa dabble in magic; any adult has a 5% chance of being able to cast spells as a wizard of the 1st to 4th level. Kercpa rarely learn spells of an offensive nature, and never those involving fire.
Kercpa villages consist of numerous small buildings situated high among the branches, and are usually spread out among several trees. An elaborate highway of vine ladders and bridges connect the various buildings. The village is difficult to see from the ground; even observant outsiders have but a 5% chance of noticing it. Actively scanning the trees increases the chance to 10%. Villages set among deciduous trees are more easily spied in the winter-time, increasing the probabilities to 15% and 50% respectively. Under normal circumstances, the kercpa’s vigilant scout patrols and sentries make it impossible for an intruder to come within a mile of one of their dwellings without their knowledge.
The squirrel-folk live by foraging. Dozens of small bands strike out daily from early spring to late fall to gather food, water, and other necessities. Surplus is stored away for the winter. Unlike true squirrels, kercpa do not hibernate. They do, however, tend to be less active during the winter months, and often sleep for much greater lengths of time. At least a third of the tribe will remain active at all times in the event of a threat. Kercpa are strictly vegetarian so, despite considerable archery skill, their bows are not used for hunting. Foraging expeditions rarely take them more than 10 miles from the village. If a tribe becomes too large to be supported by the immediate area a group consisting mainly of younger couples breaks off to found a new village elsewhere. Tribes within the same region often converge on an annual basis (usually on the summer solstice) for a great festival. These celebrations, sometimes lasting several days, serve as an opportunity for various tribes to renew familial ties, hold council on matters of mutual concern, introduce young adults to possible mates, and to exchange goods and information. Music, song, dance, story-telling, friendly contests of archery, tumbling and speed, as well as an over-abundance of food and blackberry wine round out the festive nature of the gathering.
The simple kercpa religion pays homage to a single deity, a nameless earth goddess who, while said to be able to take any form in nature, is usually depicted as a vast oak tree. Religious ceremonies are few compared to those of most other races, and pious obligations are fulfilled simply by living in harmonious accord with nature. Faced with an ethical dilemma, kercpa seek a precedent in the fables of Rititisk the Clever—the mythical patriarch of the race—and try to emulate his example. In addition to being entertaining stories of adventure in their own right — tales of Rititisk thwarting monstrous evil spiders, outwitting oafish giants (humans), questing to the ends of the earth for enchanted ever-striking arrows and the like—the fables are believed by the kercpa to contain lessons to guide them through all aspects of life. They are essential to every young kercpa’s education.
Strangers traveling through kercpa lands will be trailed and their actions scrutinized (ideally without the kercpa revealing their presence) but will be allowed to pass unhindered if they do not cause harm to the forest. This remains the case even with obviously evil creatures such as orcs and goblins. The only exceptions to the kercpa’s reclusiveness include certain sylvan neighbors who share an interest in preserving the woodland. With elves, sprites, and treants do the kercpa have ties of friendship and alliance. To the elves the kercpa are indispensable, as the squirrel-folk convey messages back and forth between camps, run errands for them, and keep them up to date on the latest happenings of the greater forest. In exchange, elves serve at times as guardians and mentors for the squirrel-folk’s children. Young kercpa delight in the company of these elegant, graceful beings, running amok through their homes and pestering their long-lived friends with endless questions and requests for tales of “olden times.” Most elves seem to genuinely enjoy the kercpa’s company as well.
On infrequent occasions, some human rangers and druids have made contact with and befriended (and were befriended by) the kercpa. A few bolder members of the species have even been known to befriend parties of good-aligned adventurers (especially those containing elves), acting as guides for them and otherwise assisting them with their knowledge of the wilderness. It must be noted, however, that such examples of eccentric behavior are not common.
Ecology: Kercpa make negligible impact on their ecosystem; forests inhabited for twenty generations appear even to careful scrutiny as virgin woodland. As the desire to accumulate wealth and the very concept of money are unknown to them, the kercpa have produced and amassed little that others are interested in acquiring. This has not prevented evil creatures from hunting them out of sheer malice, however. In addition, giant spiders of all kinds, ettercaps, stirges, and even some raptors (such as large owls) are frequent threats to them. Kercpa are usually born singularly, although twins and triplets are more common than with humans. They become mature at about age 15 and usually marry soon thereafter. Kercpa have an average life expectancy of 60 years.
